Who Are We
CyberSmarties.com was founded in 2015 by CEO Diarmuid Hudner and is based in County Limerick, Ireland and soon grew into a multicultural and multi-talented team. Cybersmarties was developed with the purpose of introducing children aged 7 to 12 years to the world of social media in a protected safe environment so that they learn the key skills in how to interact with others in a positive manner before they start using adult social networks.
As parents we have learned life lessons. We know that life can sometimes be cruel, unfair and unreasonable. We like to instil positive life skills in children which will provide them with the coping mechanisms to deal with life as well as have a positive outlook and be happy. Every day, 7 days a week, each child is sent positive messages and videos to boost self-esteem and confidence. We provide videos on meditation (proven in UK schools to help calm children and help them concentrate), nutrition, physical education, learn how to code to help logic and reasoning skills and so much more. Of course we also have Claire Bot who checks in on each child every day to ask them how their day is going and provides useful videos on how to deal with particular issues such as anxiety. Cybersmarties encourages continuous positivity in a locked down safe space to allow kids to be kids.
OFFICIAL AN GARDA SÍOCHÁNA ENDORSEMENT FOR SAFETY
Cybersmarties is the first company in Ireland to be awarded The An Garda Siochána (National Police Force) Patent for Safety. Following over two years of working together, Cybersmarties are working with the Garda National Protective Services Bureau on this initiative to combat the dangers of cyberbullying in a practical manner and promote positive mental health among Irish primary school children.
UNICEF/Global Partnership To End Violence Against Children
We are proud to announce we are officially a member of the UNICEF/ Global Partnership to End Violence against Children! Every year, 1+ billion children suffer violence in diverse forms: physical, psychological, sexual, and cyber-bullying. Children with hopes, dreams, and the potential to change the world. Cybersmarties are committed to contributing to the partnership in our capacity to protect children online and provide a safe haven for children to communicate together, learn and most importantly just be children.
Why Cybersmarties ?
Our Commitment to Children
We are committed to developing technology which educates positive behaviour on a practical, safe platform for Primary School children, to ensure that all can learn safe, fun and positive social networking skills which promote self-confidence, self-esteem and eliminate cyber-bullying. The Core Values that guide us are collaboration, excellence and creativity.
Our Record
No other social network for children is as safe as Cybersmarties. That’s a big statement buts its true. Our statistics stand for themselves as well as our international awards for digital safety and innovation. It is our intention that all children on Cybersmarties will use social media in an entirely positive way as they mature into teenagers and adults and what a great society we would have if cyber-bullying was no longer a factor in so many people’s lives. The An Garda Siochána patent for Safety is a testament to the safety features we have implemented to ensure children are kept safe online”.
Cybersmarties History
Global Operations Team
Diarmuid Hudner
Founder & Group CEO
Ryan Mahato
Chief Technology Officer
Prahlad Kakkattu
Operations Director
Brodie Jacobs
Business Operations Manager
Preeti Chandrasekhar
Business Development Head (India)
Rashmi Varier
Social Media Manager
Declan Daly
Global Head of Child Protection Policy
Declan Daly is a retired Senior Police Leader who held the rank of
Detective Chief Superintendent in An Garda Siochána (Irish National Police Force).
Having served for thirty two years Declan was the National Police Lead
in Ireland with responsibility for policing, Child Abuse, Sexual
Crime, Human Trafficking, Organised Prostitution, Domestic Abuse and
the management of sex offenders. He was the appointed Child Protection
Officer for An Garda Siochána, representing An Garda Siochána on many
child abuse prevention forums both State and Non-State. Declan was a
co-author of Children First, the National Guidance for Child Welfare
Protection in Ireland.
Declan is well known nationally and internationally for his victim
friendly approach and for promoting a multi-agency approach to
policing for vulnerable victims. He was a member of the FBI led,
Violent Crimes Against Children International Task Force - 2013 to
2021 and has overseen many international investigations involving
online child abuse. Declan has a Bachelor's Degree in law and
recently completed a Human Rights in Policing course in the University of
Limerick.
David Burke
Global Organisation Management Advisor
David is founder and Managing Partner of Nadeena Ltd, a global independent search and advisory firm. David is a former Partner at one of the world’s largest Executive Search firms where he was a senior member of its global life sciences, industrial and consumer practices for over 3 years. Prior to this, David was Managing Partner for 7 years at a leading boutique search firm based in Dublin. He has worked in the search and recruitment industry for over 20 years.
Prior to embarking on his career in Executive Search, David worked for Apple in Ireland and Johnson & Johnson in Australia and New Zealand in senior supply-chain roles. His earlier career comprised periods as Production Manager and Procurement Manager with established SMEs in the food and veterinary pharmaceutical sectors. David is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin from where he was awarded a degree in Management Sciences.
Operations Team- USA
Dr. Danny Brassell
CEO
For the past three decades, DR. DANNY BRASSELL has served as an educational advisor to students ranging from preschoolers to rocket scientists. While he has held numerous titles and worked with leaders from a variety of fields and disciplines, Danny has always considered himself first and foremost a teacher. The author of 16 books – including Read, Lead & Succeed and Leadership Begins with Motivation – he is on a mission to bring “joy” back into education and the workplace. He joined CyberSmarties – first as a consultant and later as the North American CEO – because he is passionate about teaching children how to develop positive habits in order to create a kinder, more empathetic world. By training students how to use social media and the internet in a positive way, Danny believes we can create safer environments that promote greater learning and well-being.
Dr. Jeff Arnott
COO
Jeff Arnott, Ed.D., has extensive experience in K-12, career, and adult education, with 16 years of administrative experience in adult education. He had been a CTE and adult education director in small, medium, and larger districts. In Brevard County, Florida he built the largest social media presence for adult education in the United States. Jeff won the 2017 Partner of the Year for Career Source Florida, underscoring his knowledge of businesses and ability to bring partners to the table including Fortune 500 companies and local small businesses such as CareerSource, the Chambers, and the Urban League. He was instrumental in expanding the CAPE Funding Act to allow teachers to receive bonuses with the industry certification they earned. His 12-year career in adult education includes the honor of being named the 2020 Adjunct Teacher of the Year at Indian River State College in the College of Education and the 2015 Adult Education Administrator of Year in Florida. Jeff holds a doctorate with an emphasis on adult learning from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, which was ranked #1 in US News and Report in Education Leadership..
Operations Team – New Zealand
Doug Howlett
Visionary & CEO
For over 25 years Doug has been a noteworthy leader in the sporting, business and high performance space. You may know him as the All Blacks all-time leading try scorer.
Since retiring from professional sport, Doug continues building high performing teams and can be credited with major contributions to the success of businesses across the globe in diverse sectors such as food manufacturing, healthcare, corporate fundraising, renewable energy as well as sporting teams and events.
Being a father of 5, Doug understands the importance of protecting and educating all New Zealand children.
He holds an MBA from Cork University, Ireland, and a Diploma in Digital Business from The Irish Management Institute
Mervyn Mckay
Operations Manager
Mervyn brings a wealth of experience and a unique skill set to our team. With a demonstrated history of excellence in the retail industry, he possesses a proven track record in leadership, sales, visual merchandising, and delivering exceptional customer experiences. Having spent years in the retail sector, Mervyn honed his leadership skills and a keen eye for creating engaging customer experiences. His dedication to excellence and passion for delivering results make him a standout professional in his field. As Operations Manager, Mervyn will ensure the seamless implementation and onboarding of schools onto the CyberSmarties platform. His ability to drive operational efficiency and deliver top-notch customer experiences aligns perfectly with our mission to provide a safe digital space for young learners.
Tamryn Perrins
Integrator & Administration
